Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-17
A NEW SERIAL.

MINES" by j Rider Haggard, a writer
who has lately achieved a reputation
second to no novelist OF modern days,
and whose success in the field OF Etera-
ture is remarkable.
The scene of this tale is laid in that
mystic land of which so little is known
-Kukuanaland, q region to the north Of
Cape Town, in Africa. Sir Henry Cur
It's, an Englishman, has arrived at Cay
Town in search Of brother with whom
he had quarreled few years previous TO
the time Of this story, and who had left
his home in fit Of pique, bound for Cape
Town Sir Henry was accompanied by
Captain Good retired naval officer. a
quaint character At Cape Town they
accidentally meet one Allan Quarter
main, an elephant hunter, and in the
course of conversation learn that he had,
two years previously, met Sir Henry s
brother up country, on the point Of
starting for region hitherto unexplored
Mines. Sir Henry at once insisted that
Quartermain whose knowledge Of the
country was invaluable, must accompa-
ny them. This ne consented to do, first
explaining the hazardous nature Of the
attempt, and revealing what he knew of
the legend of King Solomon's Mines.
main, was to the effect that, many years
previous, he had met near the desert, a
Portugee, named Jose Sylvestra, who,
with a servant, started to cross the
desert beyond which were to be found
the mines. In 8 week he returned, a
pitiful week, dying of thirst, but, before
dying, he entrusted to Quartermain, a
document, written by an ancestor named
Jose da Sylvestra, three hundred years
ago. This document contained the Sc
cret of Solomon's Mines and was accom-
panied by map explaining how to reach
them.
The legend further ran to the effect
that far in the interior of Africa, in a
hitherto unexplored country, there was
a ruined city believed to be the Ophir of
the Bible, and that near by were the
famous mines where King Solomon, of
old, obtained his wonderful diamonds
and precious stones
Mr.. Quartermain related his meeting
with Sir Honry's brother who at that
time informed him he would make the
attempt to reach the mines
Sir Henry Curtis now resolved that he
would start for the mines without delay
and Captain Good and Quartermain de-
cided to accompany him. Among the SER
wants engaged for the perilous trip was
Zulu named Umbopa, who proved to
be Of incalculable value. After jour
ney of unparalleled hardship and suffer
ing, and the loss of several lives, they
succeeded in crossing the desert and
found themselves in Kukuanaland among
q warlikc people of great courage, whose
armies were in a state Of perfect dsci-
pline, governed by King named Twala,
whose cruelty to his subjects had al
ienated their affections and were ripe fol
revolt
One of the customs Of this curious
people was the annual witch hunt, at
which event 4 score of witch hunters,
women, led by a ficnd uamed Gagool,
n,,1 II M e il,o
soldiers, smelling out those whom they
declared had bad hearts" and whose
decapitation speedily followed The
sacrifice of the fsirest girl among them,
ut 1.-The dance Of maidens,' was an an
nual event, and the girl Foulata, selected
on this occasion. appealed to Sir Henry
who, supported by Captain Good
and Quartermain, protected her UNI
bopa. the Zulu servant, it appears, was
the rightful King of the Kukuanas, his
father having been murdered by Twala
and his mother expelled from the coun-
try many years previous. Through
the connivance of some disaffected
chiefs, and assisted by Sir Henry, Good
and Quartermain, who were looked upon
as gods from the stars, Umbopa, after a
battle in which thousands were killed,
defeated Twala, who was killed by Sir
Henry, and assumed the reins of power.
With Umbopa's assistance, and not
withstanding the treachery of the fiend
Gagool, who alone knew the secret en-
trance to the mines, they succeeded in
finding the chambers in which the chests
of diamonds were stored.
The return to Cape Town, and the
finding Of Sir Henry brother followed.
The story is weli-writtcn, the scenes
graphically delineated, and the interest
Of the reader unclaimed from the first
chapter TO the last.
FARM NOTES.